Saturday-Family Day

The title should actually read Family/Gardening/Project Day, because depending on the time of year, and what we have going on, we could be doing a number of things. But I just call it family day, because whatever we're doing, we're doing it as a family. During the spring, summer, and early fall, we spend quite a bit of time outside on Saturday, but sometimes we go on a special field trip, or we go visit family, or I gather everybody together to give haircuts (yes, I'm the family hairdresser), and it's also when if I have a special project planned, I do most of it on Saturday, like painting and other household repairs. I started keeping a honey-do list of projects that I want done that I may or may not need hubby's help to get done. I think it helps my husband to see what I want done, and get to pick and choose what he wants to work on. A few things on my honey-do list right now are things like removing the broken air conditioner from the boy's room, taking out the broken dishwasher, and cleaning out the shed. Of course I don't make him do anything if he doesn't feel up to it, or needs the extra rest, but it's there when he does.


Morning

-Read Bible and pray
-Pack hubby's lunch, and fix his breakfast, if needed
-Make bed and straighten bedroom
-Yoga/stretching, get dressed, fix hair/face, and straighten bathroom
-Start kettle
-Start laundry, if needed
-Take dog out and feed her
-Make breakfast and tea/coffee
-Wake kids
-Eat breakfast, drink tea/coffee, and take supplements
-Table time-Proverbs reading, character study, and memory work
-Table chores
-Prep food for lunch and dinner, if needed
-Kids do bedroom and bathroom chores

Daily Chores-to be done by 4pm

-Wash laundry, if needed
-Clean up yard, sweep porch, straighten storage areas
-Mow yard, weed gardens, and do planting
-Clean animal pens (We don't currently have any extra animals, but we had and are planning on getting chickens again soon, as well as rabbits)
-Pet care-give dog a bath, brush, clean pet bowls,crate, fish tank, etc
-Special projects

Homeschool-as needed

-Field trips and special projects
-Music practice

Noon Hour

-Lunch prep and eat
-Table chores
-Dinner prep, if needed
-Family read aloud

Afternoon Chores

-Kids do quick pick up in assigned rooms
-Tea time
-Finish up daily chores
-Finish up school work and put away for the day
-Go for a walk
-Start dinner

Dinner Hour

-Fix dinner-clean as you cook
-Dinner and family devotions
-Table chores
-Plan menu and prep food for the next day

Evening

-Family time-Game night (We play a lot of games throughout the week, but we always try to sit down and make sure and play a game on Saturday too)
-Prepare for the Lord's day
-Quick pick up in assigned rooms and bedrooms, if needed
-Kids bathe/shower, brush teeth, and get ready for bed
-Poetry and Psalm reading
-Kids in bed at 9pm, reading, lights out by 10pm
-Bathe/Shower, brush teeth, and get ready for bed
-Free time-reading, watching tv/movie, spending time with hubby or working on a project
-Take dog out
-In bed by 10pm, reading, lights out by 11pm

Saturday is, like I said, an important part of making Sunday a restful day of worship. I make sure all of our clothes are layed out, we get baths out of the way, we make sure the house is picked up, I do any extra meal prep that I can to make it easier to get lunch on the table when we get home from morning services, and I make sure everybody knows where their Bibles, shoes, and anything else they need to be able to go to church are.

Saturday is also pizza night and game night at our house. So after all chores are done for the day, we enjoy settling down and enjoying some family time.

Goals for Saturday...well, we're wanting to fix up our kid's rooms before baby comes, something we've never done since moving here almost 5 years ago. So between gardening work, I'm sure that will keep us busy.

I've really enjoyed getting to share our daily routines. It's helped me to have a little more motivation to make sure we're following through with them, and I'm hoping to share some progress in the coming weeks. We are far from perfect at getting all of these things done each day. I regularly struggle with it. But I have a goal in mind, and although I'm anticipating the ever increasing nesting instincts to really push me forward in getting stuff done, it's even more important for me get these routines in place so that we can keep things looking good even during postpartum when things tend to go to shambles.

Thanks for letting me share!

Blessings,
sara